{This post is one in a series called, “Top 10 Fears”, in which I speak to the most common fears parents express about homeschooling the high school years. To see all of the topics, or start at the beginning, click HERE.}

Top Fear #3:

Not knowing where to get the books

This might be a no-brainer to some people, but to others this is a very real concern. This confusion and lack of knowledge can be a real deal-breaker for some people, causing them to give up on the idea of homeschooling high school altogether.

Let me start by reminding my readers that homeschooling isn’t just about books. Though books are crucial for homeschoolers, and should be easily accessible (in large quantities!) throughout the homeschool years, I remind you there are many ways to learn that do not involve books at all.

Nevertheless, I want you to know there are many, many sources of quality books, textbooks and curriculum to use when homeschooling. Many of these places are easily found online, and lots of them can be found in most cities and towns, too.

Here’s a short list of places to find books — turns out, they’re not nearly that difficult to find at all:

Online homeschool book stores, such as Rainbow Resources, Homeschool Supercenter, or ROCK Solid, Inc. Search for more, as there are hundreds

Online book retailers, like Barnes & Noble, Books A Million, and all the rest

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. The founder of many homeschool groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, or with no educational background whatsoever. A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations and a homeschool leader in Florida, Marie-Claire also mentors homeschool families nationwide. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, and many other events. She currently writes for audiences at Quick Start Homeschool, which she founded in 2010, and as a guest writer on other sites as often as she can. Her articles have appeared in CONNECT magazine, on Homefires, at Circle of Moms, and she has contributed to hundreds of other blogs nationwide. Dr. Moreau can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

{This post is one in a series called, “Top 10 Fears”, in which I speak to the most common fears parents express about homeschooling the high school years. To see all of the topics, or start at the beginning, click HERE.}

Top Fear #2

Afraid you can’t teach all the classes yourself

Even the most confident parents may shudder at teaching classes they don’t know. The most well-educated parents can get rusty, too.

This is a normal concern. And a very easy one to get around.

The first rule to remember is that not everyone can be good at everything. Everybody needs a little help from time to time. No shame in that.

The second rule is that it’s okay for homeschool parents not to teach everything themselves. Leaving certain courses to more skilled individuals may guarantee better results anyway. Put your pride or embarrassment aside, and realize that out-sourcing high school isn’t that big a big deal.

Look specifically for these kinds of resources — ones that take the burden off you and put it somewhere else:

A teacher, tutor, other homeschool parent, or some trusted individual to teach the class for you (could be done via Skype or other method, too). Everybody has a friend, uncle, former teacher, or neighbor skilled at something. Offer to pay as you would any other professional.

An online class that provides lectures, assignments, assessments, and grading without you lifting a finger. This can be an online virtual school, a private school that accepts homeschoolers, or classes via online businesses that are worthy of high school credit. Make sure it’s all-inclusive, and you’ll be ready to go.

A group of other students and families who have hired someone to teach the class. This can be in a homeschool co-op (what’s a co-op?) or can just be an informal group of friends all looking for the same class. This works well for academic subjects as well as lab experiments and test prep, too.

A community college class nearby, where your student may attend like any other student. Look into rules in your area, finding out tuition costs (if any), placement information, and what is needed to register your homeschooler on campus. As a bonus, these classes often give college credit, too (how does that work?).

A local high school, tech school or community ed program where your student can take the class. This is a little like sending your teen to school, except you control the curriculum, and it’s only 1-2 classes at a time. Find out which schools accept homeschoolers in your area, and register for classes there instead of doing them at home.

A packaged curriculum product where everything is provided: lessons, assignments, answer keys, and more (automated is even better). Many products are designed with this specific fear in mind. Check out Teaching Textbooks, Rosetta Stone, The Spectrum, and some of the other products on this list.

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. The founder of many homeschool groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, or with no educational background whatsoever. A liaison for regional school-to-home organizations and a homeschool leader in Florida, Marie-Claire also mentors homeschool families nationwide. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, and many other events. She currently writes for audiences at Quick Start Homeschool, which she founded in 2010, and as a guest writer on other sites as often as she can. Her articles have appeared in CONNECT magazine, on Homefires, at Circle of Moms, and she has contributed to hundreds of other blogs nationwide. Dr. Moreau can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

I love meeting with parents of teens and speaking to groups about homeschooling the high school years. When I do, I explain there is no standard high school curriculum, and that high school is different for every student. I let parents know there are lots of ways for teens to learn in high school, and I offer suggestions for where to begin looking for curriculum options, too.

Are you that parent? Have you been having trouble finding curriculum and products for your high schooler?

Let me give you some ideas.

But, before you scroll down, remember this: the sky’s the limit in terms of what can be included, excluded or combined in a home curriculum for high school.

Now, here’s a list of places to help you source high school courses, curriculum and experiences:

Curriculum Products: You’re less likely to find all-in-one curriculum products for high school, but what you will find are tons of great products to teach individual subjects, such as Algebra, Architecture or Ancient History. Browse what your favorite homeschool author, homeschool publisher, online curriculum vendor, book retailer, or homeschool blogger has to offer. Glean ideas for which ones you can choose for your teen. Better yet, have your teenager choose for himself. By combining many of those products together, you’ll have enough curriculum for an entire year of high school.

Community and Junior Colleges:Often called “dual enrollment”, most American students now have access to programs for early college at community and junior colleges. Check your state’s requirements first, then visit a local campus to learn about placement tests and other requirements for homeschoolers. Depending on the area, your high schooler may be able to attend part-time — even full-time – for free or a fraction of the tuition cost. Best yet, your student earns college credit for courses taken there, too.

Your Local High School: Although you have opted-out of public high school, there’s nothing wrong with dropping back in for a class or two. Many areas allow homeschoolers to attend high school part-time while still holding on to homeschool status. Ask how things are done in your district, and then browse the high school’s course descriptions to find classes your high schooler can use.

Adult & Community Education Programs: Most cities offer continuing education through adult and community programs. Since these classes are offered year-round, it’s easy to combine several classes for high school credit. Community courses are great for picking up new skills, learning alongside other people in classroom settings, and experimenting with topics for a few weeks before launching into year-long studies.

Technical Schools: Just like colleges, trade and tech schools are great places to pick up classes during high school, too. Visit a local campus to find out about opportunities for homeschooled teens.

Online College Courses: Today’s learners have access to an amazing line-up of lectures that have been archived from courses taught at Columbia, MIT, Harvard, Yale and other top colleges and universities. Teens can take advantage of these lectures to learn just about anything. When using these courses, parents can choose to award credit based on the lectures alone, or by adding a writing or other physical component to help document learning. No matter how it’s done, it’s like learning from top university professors, only without the cost of tuition! Learn where to find some of these courses here.

Free Online Classes: Lots of companies, businesses and individuals offer training courses online. Teens can learn many high school-worthy things online, such as web design, coding, world languages, business skills, home making, SAT study skills and more. Free definitely does not mean worthless, by the way, because many quality courses are offered free, requiring nothing more than signing up.

Free Online Videos: Khan Academy (though excellent) isn’t the only name in free video online learning any more. Lots of people offer free online learning content via Youtube or other video streaming service. These lessons can be used to supplement existing courses, or for stand-alone high school credit, too. Find a favorite, and then list videos in order to create a set of lesson plans. Assign labs or written work in between — curriculum solved!

High School Co-ops: Parents searching for ways for teens to make friends, learn alongside other teens, or receive simulated classroom learning, may want to look into into (or form) co-ops. Co-ops are perfect for learning things that are hard to teach at home, learning in groups, and sharing expensive equipment. I love co-ops and strongly recommend them at least once during the high school years. Never heard of a homeschool co-op? Read more about co-ops here.

Textbooks: Though many homeschoolers shy away from standard textbooks, I am actually a fan of high school texts when used in certain ways. One way is to use textbooks as a framework for what to study about a subject (a detailed table of contents can be your best friend). Another way is to use textbooks combined with other resources (texts don’t have to stand alone). Finally, because texts are designed to provide a full year of high school work, they can help to gauge just how much is considered worthy of a transcript credit. There are other ways to use textbooks, but I caution against blindly following standards found in textbooks, because in my opinion, meeting national standards is not the same as real learning. Read how to use stand-alone textbooks here.

Internships/Mentoring: Some of the best learning comes from doing, and that’s where this idea comes in. By working with individuals in your community (or communicating with mentors online) teens can learn first-hand the things others only read about in books. Finding internships and mentors isn’t always easy, but great places to look include church groups, community groups, a local Chamber of Commerce, area professsional organizations, and the workplaces of people you know.

By now, you have seen that high schooling can be made of many different experiences, each tailored to the specific needs and goals for that student. Combine many of these options to design a customized high school curriculum, then sit back and observe the rewards of personalizing an education for your teen!

For more high school articles, be sure to follow the high school tag at the bottom of this post.

This is a great article to share with friends with middle and high schoolers.

This is a great post to SHARE! Choose your favorite way to share:

It would be impossible to list the many, many elective courses that exist to date, or the many different combinations of resources that could be used to form elective credits! But, to help you get started, I have listed a few elective ideas below.

When you click on each link, you’ll be taken to a web site or product that could be used to teach that topic at home. BUT — if what you need isn’t listed here, don’t give up. I can help you find the perfect product or system for your student! (Contact me for assistance.)

Have you ever wondered how to teach science without a lab? Perhaps you have just chosen not to assign the labs, or have given up on teaching science altogether.

I want you to know that labs are very important. They allow students hands-on practice with ideas they have only read about, deepen understanding of course material, and — for some students – are the preferred way to learn. For many kids, they can also be fun!

Obviously, some science classes do not require a formal lab. But many benefit greatly by having a lab component.

High schoolers in particular need to take labs if they are applying to college. For them, these labs are not optional — college acceptance actually depends on it. (Read more about college requirements HERE.)

I am about to share with you some options for families without a fully equipped science lab. These are particularly helpful when trying to fulfill a lab requirement for biology or chemistry. But know that lab options exist for lots of other sciences, too.

Some families choose to co-op science labs. When homeschool parents gather together, they have more impact and power than teaching labs alone. Supplies can be purchased at a discount, or shared if there aren’t enough to go around (i.e., tweezers and microscopes). Parents skilled in lab procedures can do the teaching, and others can help with supervision and clean-up. Co-ops are a cost effective way to teach labs, and are successful in many areas around the country. (What’s a co-op?)

Another option is the lab intensive. When a regularly scheduled lab isn’t available, sometimes cramming an entire year’s worth of labs into one weekend can fill that need. Companies catering specifically to this need are offering lab camps (sometimes called “intensives”) from coast to coast. (See Landry Academy as an example.)

One of my favorite options for labs at home is the virtual lab. Click the links throughout this blog as you read, to see examples of some of the free virtual labs that are available.

The virtual lab

Safe and hygienic, available 24/7 and repeatable any number of times, virtual labs can be completed from any room in the house, by any number of students alone, or together. As a bonus, many virtual labs can be found free online.

Virtual labs exist for dissecting animals like frogs, sharks, pigs, cats, plus animal parts (such as owl pellet or cow’s eye). Detailed illustrations and close up photographs allow students to get inside animal parts without needing to do it themselves. Explanations make it possible for biology students to study dissections thoughtfully, and to experience an almost hands-on sensation of being there — without the odor, expense, and [for some students] squeamishness that often accompanies labs of this kind.

Virtual labs are widely available for plant and animal cell studies, too, offering topics like cell division, reproduction, respiration, heredity and genetics studies and more. The kinds of labs are valuable in situations when supplies are unavailable, and are particularly beneficial in cases where intense magnification is needed, but no microscope is present in the home. (Did you know that can find lab on using microscopes, too?)

For students taking Earth Science, virtual labs can illustrate processes like erosion, glacial land changes, weather patterns and the effects of thermal energy. Chemistry studies may be supplement with labs mixing common solutions, or not-so-uncommon solutions without the risk of injury. Criminology and Forensic Science labs are available for blood typing, fingerprinting, and other procedures associated with crime scene analysis.

Finding virtual labs can take a bit of investigation on the part of families. Paid subscription services are available (see Online Chem Labs and Late Night Labs as examples) and free lab simulations can be obtained from textbook companies, science web sites, colleges, universities, museums and research centers.

Keep in mind that virtual labs are no less serious than actual hands-on labs, and should be treated the same way as any other course component. Students should be assigned a lab notebook, and taught to take good notes, ask relevant questions and seek out additional information if they do not understand. If course credit is to be awarded, lab reports should be turned in — and graded – for every lab in the course.

For further reading, click:

Dr. Marie-Claire Moreau is a college professor who traded in her tenure to become a homeschool mom 20+ years ago. A homeschooling pioneer and the founder of many groups and organizations, she works to advance home education, and is an outspoken supporter of education reform coast to coast. Her book, Suddenly Homeschooling: A Quick Start Guide to Legally Homeschool in Two Weeks, is industry-acclaimed as it illustrates how homeschooling can rescue children and families from the public school system, and how anyone can begin homeschooling within a limited time-frame, with no teaching background whatsoever. A writer, a homeschool leader, and a women’s life coach, Marie-Claire mentors in a variety of areas that impact health, education and lifestyle. A conference speaker, she has appeared at FPEA, H.E.R.I., Home Education Council of America, The Luminous Mind, Vintage Homeschool Moms, iHomeschool Network, and many other events. Her articles have appeared in and on Holistic Parenting, CONNECT,Homefires, Homemaking Cottage, Kiwi, Circle of Moms, and hundreds of sites and blogs nationwide. Marie-Claire can be reached at contactmarieclaire@gmail.com.

Teaching high school sounds really hard!

I can’t teach all that stuff!

What if I ruin my child’s chances of getting into college?

These are classic questions. In fact, the most common questions I receive from parents have to do with homeschooling the high school years.
Parents want to know if teaching high school is harder than teaching the earlier years.

I say — NO.

Though the “material” itself may seem harder in high school, teaching high school is no harder than homeschooling any other year. It’s the same commitment, the same work load, the same investment as the earlier years.

What is harder — or maybe just “different” – is orchestrating the whole thing.

The four years. The classes. The credits. The grade point average. The choices. The whole package.

Though students may perform this task entirely on their own, for the most part, parents (a/k/a Principals and Guidance Counselors) are usually the ones who do it all — the overseeing and the tracking, the encouraging and motivating, the chauffeuring and the financing, and the stressing out over it, too.

So short, you can read it over a cup of coffee, in the car, or over the weekend.

But it’s long enough to cover the 10 most-asked, most-feared, most-important things that parents of high schoolers need to know.

I go over the basics — like how to figure credits, how to calculate GPA, and what to write on a transcript.

I address some of the larger high schooling concerns like how to plan a 4-year program, too.

Homeschooling High School: Ten Steps to the Finish Line is available now.

This e-book is perfect for parents of middle schoolers thinking about high school, parents with students in 9th or 10th grade who are still in the planning stages, and parents of 11th and 12th graders who need to learn specific skills to create the documents and forms they need along the way.

I have also included some printable forms you can use right away to create a plan and a transcript, too.